Cosmetic container



Dec. 13, 1960 w. J. LANDEN COSMETIC CONTAINER Filed March 31, 1958 FIG. 2.

FIG. 3.

FIG. 4. I

INVENTOR PV/LL/AM IA/W155 LA/VDE/V ATTORNEY$ 7 FIG. 6.

FIG. 5.

UnitedStates Patent COSMETIC CONTAINER William James Landen. Cheshire, Conn., assignor to Eyelet Specialty Division, The International Silver Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 725,423

4 Claims. (Cl. 20656) This invent on relates to an improved cosmeticcontainer construction. and is particularly concerned w th configurations in which a decorative external case (with removable closure cap) is adapted to remov blv receive a selected one of a number of various cartridge assemblies.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved construction of the character indicated.

It is another object to provide an improved c rtridge construction for contaners of the character indicated whereby, once inserted in the decorative case, the cartridge may be locked positively against axial separation from the case.

It is also an obiect to provide a cartridge meeting the above objects and having manually actuable means for readIly separating, that is, for unlocking the engagement between, the cartridge and the case.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, whch show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cosmetic container embodying features of the invention, with certain parts broken away to reveal internal details;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken in the planes 2-2, 3-3, and 4-4, respectively of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the lower part of the cartridge of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the lower part of the decorative case shown in Fig. 1.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates an improved cosmetic-container construction in which a complete cosmetic-cartridge assembly is removably insertable in the body of an outer decorative case. The cartridge is of the rotary-propulsion variety and includes relatively rotatable base and sleeve parts. The body of the decorative case also includes relatively rotatable base and sleeve parts. Both sleeve parts are of non-circular cross-section, the cartridge sleeve being receivable in the case sleeve, so that the sleeve parts are non-rotatable with respect to each other. The base of the cartridge and the base of the case include interengaging means whereby rotation of the base of the case transmits rotary motion to the base of the cartridge in order to effect propulsion or retraction of a lipstick or the like, as desired. It is a feature of the invention that the two sleeve parts include snap-acting detent means to hold the parts in assembled relation.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown in application to a cartridge assembly 10 insertably receivable within the lower part (Fig. 6) of an outer decorative case which is closed by a removable closure cap 11. As best shown in Fig. 6, the lower part of the decorative case comprises an elongated tubular body 12 having a non-circular upper open end, which in the form shown happens to be generally oval in cross-section. The other end of the tubular member 12 is closed by an actuating "ice member 13 journalled for rotation therein. In the form shown, the lower end of the body or sleeve member 12 is of circular cross-section and overlaps a reduced cylindrical part 14 of the base or actuating member 13. A circumferential groove 15 in the cylindrical portion 14 receives lugs or other retaining means 16, struck radially inwardly from the material of body 12, in order to axially retain the parts 12-13 and at the same time to permit free relative rotation thereof.

While the closure cap 11 may engage any convenient part of the case assembly shown in Fig. 6, I prefer that cap engagement be made frictionally to the base or the actuating member 13, as by riding upon one or more friction ridges 17 integrally formed thereon. A radial shoulder 18 on the base member 13 provides a convenient stop to assure complete closure upon placement of the closure cap 11, as will be understood.

As indicated generally above, the cartridge 10 is of the rotary-propulsion variety. Its externally accessible parts compnse an elongated sleeve 20 and the base or actuating member 21 journalled for rotation in the lower end.

.The base or actuating member 21 is shown to be polygonal (see Fig. 4) and to conform with a polygonal socket 22 in the base or actuating member 13, forming part of the decorative case. The cartridge sleeve 20 preferably has a free-sliding fit within the bore of the body 12 and also preferably conforms to its contour, i.e. oval, in the form show-n.

The cartridge 10 includes mechanism cooperating upon relative rotation of the base and sleeve parts 21-20 to propel and retract a lipstick or the Lke 23, which may also be of oval cross-section and supported in an oval carrier cup 24 slidably received in the bore of the sleeve 20. In the form shown, both the carrier cup 24 and the base button 21 are of molded plastic and are integrally formed with interfitting threaded propulsion parts, the cup 24 being formed with a threaded stud 25, and the button 21 being formed with an internally threaded tubular part 26 in constant engagement with the threaded stud 25. A circumferential groove 27 receives the inwardly turned lower lip of the sleeve 20 in order to permanently retain the parts 20-21 in assembled relation.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the sleeves 12-20 include cooperating elements for releasably holding an inserted cartridge in the lower part of the decorative case, namely, the assembly shown in Fig. 6. Various forms of detent mechanism may be employed for this purpose, but I indicate my preference for a releasable lock of the variety disclosed in copending Isele application, Serial- No. 674,460, filed July 26, 1957, now Patent No. 2,838,170. This type of lock involves a lug 29 struck outwardly from a resiliently deflectable member or part 30 of the cartridge sleeve 20, and in the form shown the deflectable part 30 is defined between two parallel elongated slits or lancings 31-32 in the sleeve 20, so as to permit integral connection of both ends of member 30 to the body of sleeve 20'. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the locking lug 29 is receivable in one or the other of two diametrically opposed locking apertures or windows 33-34 cut in the case sleeve 12, near the open end thereof. For an oval-shaped cartridge-andcase engagement as shown, I prefer that the slits 31-32 and locking lug 29 (as well as openings 33-34) be formed on the flat sides of the oval, as shown in the drawings.

When the cartridge 10 is fully received in the lower part of the case (Fig. 6), it will be noted that a portion of the deflectable member 30 extends beyond the upper end of the case sleeve 12. This relationship is suggested by phantom line 36 in Fig. 5, representing the upper limit of the sleeve 12 (when the parts are assembled, and when the locking lug 29 engages one or the other of the locking apertures 3334). The exposed part of member 30 thus provides a means for finger-access to permit radially inward resilient depression of the member 30 to dislodge the locking engagement at 29-33. In order to facilitate unlocking, I show formation of an outwardly deformed or bulbous projection or thumb piece 37.

When the loaded container is closed, the only externally accessible parts are the decorative closure cap 11 and the enlarged circular bottom 40 of the actuating member 13. These parts may be of any desired shape, depending upon the non-functional design requirements of the customer. When the closure cap 11 is removed, the lipstick may be propelled and repelled, as needed, merely by grasping the sleeve parts 1220 alone or together in one hand, and by rotating the actuating member 13 with the'other hand; A simple thumb depression of the bulbous projection or thumb piece 37 disengages the lock at 2933, so that the cartridge may be removed and replaced with another as desired, eg for changing lipstick shades.

It will be seen that an improved cosmetic container hasbeen described in which replaceable cartridges are readilyinsertable in a decorative case, and yet in which there-may be positive assurance against inadvertent or other separation of the cartridge, particularly in the presence or rough handling or Vibration, as during shipment of loaded containers. The deliberate act of first squeezing the exposed thumb piece 37 is necessary before the cartridge can be removed.

While the invention has been described in detail for.

the preferred forms illustrated, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: t

1. In a cosmetic or the like container, an outer decorative case comprising an elongated tubular body having an open end and including an externally accessible actuating member journalled for rotation at the other end, said case including means retaining said body and said actuating member against axial separation and in unith-andling relation, and a rotary-propulsion cartridge removably positioned Within said open end of said tubular body, said cartridge comprising relatively rotatable base and sleeve parts, said sleeve part being non-circular and mechanism responsive to such relative rotation and including a non-circular cup non-rotatably engaging said sleeve part for selectively propelling a lipstick or the like beyond the end of said sleve part, said cartridge base and said actuating member having non-circular inter-engaging means cooperating upon axial insertion of said cartridge in said case to cause rotation of said base upon rotation of said actuating member, snap-acting positive-locking means coacting between said sleeve and said tubular body to hold said cartridge when inserted in said case, externally accessible manual actuating means for dislodging snap-acting engagement of said snap-acting means to permit removal of said cartridge from said case, and a closure cap removably engageable with said decorative case and covering otherwise exposed parts of said cartridge.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said snap-acting means comprises a resilient outwardly deformed lug carried by said sleeve and engageable with an apertured part of said tubular body.

3. A container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said: actuating member includes a reduced cylindrical part engaging within. the bore of said tubular body, said cylindrical part having a circumferential groove therein, and a retaining memberradially inwardly deformed out ofthe bodyof said elongated tubular body and received in said groove.

4. In a container adaptable for use in cosmetics an outer decorative case comprising'a tubular body member, said body member being of a predetermined length and having an opening at one end thereof, said tubular body member having a smaller diameter at the end having said opening than the diameter at its opposite end, an externally accessible actuating member at' said end'having the larger diameter, means to retain said tubular body member and said externally accessible actuating member against axial separation and in unit handling relation, a closurecap removably engageable with said decorative case; a cartridge removably supported within said open end of said tubular body member to be enclosed by said closure cap and adapted to contain a'cosmetic material; said cartridge comprising an elongated, tubular sleeve member having an opening at one end to receive a cosmetic material; said cartridge being substantially longer'than said decorative case, means at the opposite end of said cartridge from said opening to propel and retract a cosmetic material in response to said externally accessible actuating member; and snap-acting positive-locking means coacting between said sleeve and said tubular body member to hold said cartridge within the decorative case, externally accessible manual actuating means for dislodging engagement of said snapacting means to permit removal of said cartridge from said open end of said decorative case; said manual actuating means comprising spaced apart slits in said sleeve to define a spring portion, at least two projections extending outwardly from said spring portion and spaced a predetermined distance axially from each other, and said case having an opening spaced from said open end a distance approximately equal to said predetermined distance between said projections so that the one of said projections will engage said opening and the other of said projections will engage the peripheryof said open end of said case to lock said cartridge positively within said open end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,686 Janer -July 31, 1934 2,309,000 Morrison t. e Jan. 19,1943 2,595,635 Braselton May 6, '1952 2,780,351 Grisel Feb. 5, 1957 2,823,796 Schwartz Feb. 18, 1958 2,838,170 Isele June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,052,053 France Sept. 23, 1953' 

